Tonight will mark one of the biggest changes in West Hollywood government since the city’s incorporation in 1984 with the inauguration of two new Council members and the departure of two of the longest-serving incumbents.
The meeting, at 6:30 p.m. at the City Council Chambers at 625 N. Vicente Blvd., is likely to be standing room only for late arrivals. Friends and supporters of Abbe Land, who has been on the Council for 22 of its 30 years, are expected to show up for her last meeting, as are supporters of Council newcomers Lindsey Horvath and Lauren Meister.
John Heilman, the city’s longest serving elected official with 30 years on the Council, will step down tonight, having lost his bid for re-election on March 2. But Heilman is a candidate in the June 3 special election to fill the Council seat vacated by Jeffrey Prang, who left the Council in December to become L.A. County Assessor. His supporters aren’t likely to be mourning what they hope will be only a temporary departure tonight.
Tonight also will see the Council vote for a new mayor, a largely honorary title currently held by John D’Amico. Heilman has held the title of mayor pro tem, meaning he stood in for D’Amico when the mayor wasn’t available for official duties. Traditionally the title of mayor rotates annually to the mayor pro tem. The new mayor and mayor pro tem will be installed at a formal reorganization meeting on April 20.
With Heilman’s departure, the only incumbent left on the Council to take D’Amico’s place as mayor is John Duran. However his involvement in a controversy involving his Council deputy, Ian Owens, who he hired after meeting him on a mobile phone hookup site and having sex with him, has led to speculation that the Council will appoint Lindsey Horvath as mayor instead with Meister as mayor pro tem. Owens has alleged that Duran made sexual advances on him after taking the job, an allegation that Duran has denied. Horvath is seen as the likely candidate because of her previous service on the Council. She was appointed in 2009 to fill the term left vacant by the death of Sal Guarriello but lost her 2011 bid for re-election. Supporting the speculation that Horvath will be named mayor instead of Duran is a comment from him in a recent Facebook exchange by his opponents. “Save your energy. I have no interest in serving as Mayor,” Duran wrote.
Horvath’s 2009 appointment had been backed by Heilman and Land, and she was seen then as part of a three-vote majority that they could count on in votes on important issues. With the new Council, the alignment on major issues such as development is unclear. Business and real estate interests have supported Heilman and Horvath with endorsements and financial contributions. Advocates for more controlled development have supported D’Amico and Meister. Duran is an organizer of an independent expenditure committee that was largely backed by real estate interests and which campaigned for Horvath, Heilman and Joe Guardarrama, an unsuccessful candidate in the March race.
In the June 2 election Heilman will be running against Heidi Shink, a writer who is a member of the city’s Planning Commission and has been endorsed by D’Amico; Larry Block, owner of the Block Party clothing store and a member of the city’s Disabilities Advisory Board, and Cole Ettman, the manager of a law firm who also is a member of the city’s Public Facilities Commission.
The Council meeting is open to the public and begins at 6:30 p.m. in the building immediately to the south of the West Hollywood Library. Parking is free in the five-story structure behind the building with tickets validated in the entrance to the Council Chambers.
A MAJOR change – would have seeing the three men (owned by New York developers) – Durand, D’Amico and Heilman being defeated.
If John Heilman wins in June, does that reset his term limits?
If so -and his loss was intentional- its deplorable.
Manny, it will be a sad day if he wins again.
Shawn….What will you say in June if he wins by “clear voter support”?…..that it doesn’t count?
So happy to see term limits work their way into our #weho democracy by clear voter support.
Abbey Land doing the right thing and not running again.
And Mr Heilman who held on to his seat for 30 years being defeated in the election and tonight his selfish agenda of blocking other residents opportunity to serve will end
Rotation of leadership
New faces, new ideas
This is good democracy in my opinion
And tonight it gets a new beginning in West Hollywood
I agree, wait till June…..But have Horvath as interim Mayor until then.
Another possibility unless specifically disallowed – D’Amico makes an attempt to retain the position. This might be coupled with agreeing to revisit this in June after the next election and they are back at full strength, possibly with Heilman back